I have to move a boxford lathe soon. I only have a photo of it so far. I think it is BUD mk2 model with a lever near the changewheel cover for changing speeds. The symbol on the front shows a cone pulley. So if it is a belt drive how does the speed change mechanism work. Is it like a deraillier bike gear system? I might have to take the lathe off the stand/motor to shift it and wonder if this is easy or best left as a single unit. Any ideas on how much it weighs - it is the non screwcutting gearbox model.
Google groups is currently refusing to allow me to post an answer so I will try here. Apologies to all if it appears a few times.
The lever near the changewheel cover is in fact the leadscrew reverse. Spindle speed is changed in the left hand (from front) cabinet below the headstock where you will find a belt tension release lever and the cone pully that the plate shows. Speed is just changed by moving the belt up and down the pully block as per normal. That plate is merely telling you what spindle speeds you will get in each pully position with direct drive or backgear which is selected (A or B) with the lever on the very top of the headstock. Confusing until you see the lathe then very simple.
You can take the lathe off the stand easily enough as the drive belt which goes through the bottom of the headstock into the stand and the layshaft is a link type and can be broken. It can be a bit of a pain to re thread though on re-assembly. I moved mine in one piece as I felt that was easier, total weight for a Mk2 AUD is a little under 580lbs or
265Kgs (ish) so a BUD will be about 40lbs less. I moved mine with a 1 ton cheapo engine crane but remember that it is top heavy and needs good support when moving if it is not to topple over. They tell me that 4 men can move one complete but they will all be far stronger than I. There are two through holes at the top of the cabinet that you can pass a couple of bars through and these provide lifting points.
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Look in the links section and you will find a link to an on line PDF copy of the "Know your Lathe" book which is in fact the Boxford manual. It is about 8Mbs though so you need a reasonable internet connection. If you have any problems downloading send me an e-mail and I will reply with a copy of the file.
Hope this helps, apologies for the somewhat rushed response.
It isn't a good idea to break the lathe from the stand. Apparently (from the manual, lathes.co.uk etc) they used a bedding material that can make getting the two apart quite difficult and getting the two back together without distorting the lathe even more difficult.
I moved three by sticking bars through the holes just under the splash plate and slinging them from a 2 ton engine crane (in the half ton mode). No problem unless you want to raise it high.
on the stand, the load is unstable, so you need ratchet straps or a knowledge of how to tension roped loads.
Thanks RSSS Useful tip. I was considering splitting it to reduce weight for man handling. I think now I'll shift it on rollers and use a tail lift equipped vehicle. Cheers
When I had a Boxford BUD, some years ago now, three of us manhandled it off the trailer & into position. Likelwise a few years later when I sold it. As far as I remember we had a bar across under the bed so two people could lift, or almost lift, one end.
Bob, perhaps it was what I said or the way I said it but you don't appear to be talking to me and I now don't appear to be able to reply to any post in this topic through Google??
Still if you are going to move it complete, for safety's sake it is worth repeating a warning from personal experience and what RSSS has said. The Boxford stand is very narrow front to back and is top heavy, if you are going to move it on rollers it is unstable particularly if you push on the front or back of the stand to try and move it sideways. With some small tail lift vans the tail platform may be too narrow to take the lathe lengthwise and attempting to load sideways will potentially be dangerous. Even putting the headstock end on and then swinging it round can be interesting, but I'll not bother going into that. Moving with the engine crane was much less problematic. As Tim said three men should manage OK but two could struggle.
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